Restless
by WhileTrue
Summary: Kuvira brings peace and stability to Earth Empire after the chaos that was brought by The Red Lotus. Things have never looked better for the states. At least it seems so. Asami knows something's up while Korra is struggling to find her path as the forgotten Avatar.
1. Welcome to Zaofu

Chapter I

The first time Asami saw Kuvira was when the Earth Empire's new leader, formerly known as Earth Kingdom, marched into Republic City with her army a year ago.

It was a display of power.

Her army counted numerous soldiers, all wearing the same green uniforms, marching in perfect coordination through the streets of metropolis, carrying Earth Empire's banners. Their arms and legs were moving in one synced motion, boots hitting the ground with rhythmic thumps, and to someone with an expert eye for engineering, they looked like a well built and oiled machine.

The infantry was followed by tanks that were also painted in green shades, representing colours of the young and already powerful empire. In the same fashion were displayed mecha tanks and suits controlled by drivers who were hidden safely in metal shells that were capable of destruction.

Little kids on the sides were admiring those big machines that they had only seen in movers. They were waving at the soldiers, completely oblivious to what was really going on. Many other people were joining them, welcoming the brave leader and her army that brought peace to Earth Kingdom after it succumbed to chaos and got overrun by bandits.

And then there was her. In the middle of the procession, in a nicely decorated open-air luxury Satomobile, approaching the City Hall was the person who rebuilt and united all the states into one empire. She was standing, one of her hands behind her back, the other one was holding the front window to keep her balance, occasionally waving at the public who were cheering her, shouting "All hail Kuvira, the Great Uniter", and sometimes even flashing them a smile.

When the parade finally stopped, the army separated into two columns, leaving space in the middle for Kuvira to finish the last part of her victory march towards the City Hall on foot. She stepped out of the car and every single soldier saluted her as she walked past them, lowering their arms in unison once their leader stopped on the top of the stairs next to the president of United Republic, with whom she shook hands and exchanged a few words before turning around to face the public. Seated in the front rows of the courtyard were the council members, chief of the police and other people whose names were known among public. One of those people was Asami, daughter of Future Industries' CEO Hiroshi Sato. As one of the main providers of weapons to Earth Empire's army he and his daughter had the privilege of welcoming Kuvira to the city.

"Miss Sato?" a voice brought Asami back from the memories. She hadn't noticed she was leaning on the airship window, looking at the mountains going by while the ship was approaching Zaofu, home of the metal clan and also Kuvira's main residence.

"Yes, Yoshi?" she addressed the girl that was a member of the air-ship crew and straightened herself up.

"We're almost here. Your father wants you to join him," Yoshi said.

"Thank you. Tell him I'm coming," Asami replied and watched as the woman bowed her head and left the room. She looked through the window once more. They were flying over Zaofu now, a beautiful city made of metal and consisting of six sectors that were connected by rails, enabling citizens to travel from one part to another in a matter of minutes.

Asami had always wished to visit the city but under different circumstances. This was a business trip and as the future CEO of her father's company she had to attend most of his meetings. Especially the ones where he was dealing with world leaders like Kuvira.

Sighing, she took her jacket that was hung on the chair and put it on, untucking her long raven hair from it while approaching the command deck, where her father was having a conversation with the captain of the ship.

"Ah, there you are," Hiroshi said happily when he noticed his daughter had joined them.

"Hello, Miss Sato," greeted the captain and bowed his head slightly and Asami returned the gesture.

"Everything good, captain?" she asked, a hint of tenseness in her voice.

"Yes, everything is perfect. We'll be landing shortly," he replied.

"You sound worried, sweetheart," said Hiroshi, his voice warm and caring, and walked closer to her. His hand took a gentle hold of her shoulder.

"You know how I feel about this, dad." She looked him in his eyes with a sad expression on her face, giving her everything to convince him to change his mind about the business meeting.

"Asami … We talked about this." He pulled his hand back and sighed, suddenly looking older than he was. "I'm a business man and this is business. I'm making this deal with the Earth Empire's leader."

"But you're giving her even more power, dad. What she's doing isn't right!"

"Please, not now," he pleaded, his voice growing frustrated and his fingers started massaging his temples.

She didn't stop though. That was her last chance to try and change his mind. "Do you even see what's happening? Things are getting worse by each passing day, people are disappearing for no reason, there's no freedom, we aren't allowed to speak about problems, we aren't allowed to disagree … Do you know what happened to some of our workers who refused to join her army?"

He shook his head.

"Well, maybe you should start paying more attention because four of them were taken by the SP and we haven't heard about them since then."

"The intelligence agency?" he asked with surprise in his voice.

"Yes, the Special Police agents took them away. These people are getting bolder and giving them weapons is only making them more aggressive. They're taking people for interrogations for the smallest of reasons and from what I've heard, not many return. And … Most of them are non-benders, dad," she almost whispered the last words.

"It's even more important to keep cooperating with her then! That way she'll see that we, non-benders are just as good as benders – capable of doing great things and if nothing else this deal will protect us," he raised his voice, throwing his arms into the air.

"We've given her enough already! Mecha tanks, mecha suits, air ships!" Her voice was growing louder with every word. "And what about other people, huh? Who'll protect them? We live in repression, a … A-a dictatorship! And if you thi-"

"Asami, enough!" he yelled and that made her stop. His hands were clenched into fists. His expression was furious and Asami almost looked away, the weight of his gaze being nearly too much for her to bare. She didn't give in though and for a few moments they were just glaring into each other's eyes intently, until the sound of someone clearing their throat broke the silence.

Asami and her father had almost forgotten hey weren't alone in the command room when the captain spoke. "We're landing, sir."

Hiroshi let out a sigh and straightened the invisible wrinkles on his jacket. "This conversation is over, Asami. Do not ever bring this up again." The tone of his voice made it clear that those words were final and with that Asami turned around and sat down on the nearest seat, bucking up her seatbelt angrily.

The airship landed soon after that. With a heavy heart, Asami left her seat and followed her father through the corridor that led to the ship's exit. Before she reached him though, a hand around her wrist stopped her. She turned around to find out who invaded her personal space and was about to object when she realized it was the captain. The man's expression was unreadable but his eyes betrayed him. They reflected fear.

"Captain? What's the matter?" she asked and for a moment she looked at his hand that was still clutching her wrist. He realized that too and let go of it before gathering his composure. She had known him for quite a long time and she was sure she had never seen him like this before.

"Miss Sato, I just wanted you to know that you're right." He was talking quickly and quietly, as if he was afraid that the words he was speaking would get him in trouble. With every passing second he seemed more unsettled.

"Right about what? What are you talking about?"

"Well, about what's really going on in the Earth Kingdom," he answered. The way he named the state didn't escape her attention. That piqued her interest and she quickly glanced around the corner and saw that Hiroshi was talking to one of the ship's officers, the door behind him still closed. "About the SP taking people away?" she whispered.

"Yes, that and much more. A lot has changed but not for the better. There's more and more oppression, censorship, misinformation, supervision. People are not just being interrogated. I heard you say many of them are never seen again after they've been taken. That's because they are sent away to some camps or are forced to join the army. And not just that – before that happens they are beaten and tortured for inf-" He stopped mid-word and looked away, shutting his eyes tight.

Asami looked at him in shock. She knew things weren't good, but hearing they were _that_ bad sent a shiver down her spine. "Tortured for information? On what, captain?"

He looked like he wasn't going to continue but then he took a deep breath and whispered: "People aren't tolerating this anymore."

It took her a second to realize the meaning of his words. _People aren't tolerating this anymore. They're going to resist the system_ , she thought.

"Are you one of those people, captain?" she asked and he nodded in response. _I guess I'm not alone in this._

"Miss Sato." It was Yoshi's voice again. "It's time to go," she said and looked at the ground when she realized she interrupted something.

"I'm coming," Asami replied, looking at the girl to let her know she was dismissed. With her gone, she looked back at the captain. "Thank you for telling me this. Rest assured that this … Matter is safe with me," she said.

"Thank you, Miss Sato," he replied. He was about to turn around when something changed his mind. "Oh, and Miss Sato?"

"Yes, captain?"

"You shouldn't talk about this with anyone. Your father is one thing, he loves you, but … Just don't trust anyone."

"I understand. Thank you."

He smiled briefly before turning around and returning to the command room. Asami stood there for a moment, looking at the man walking away, his words flying around in her mind. _It will do no good thinking about this right now. I need time to think about this,_ she thought, forcing herself to shut the thoughts off and went to join her father who was talking to a young man with black hair, dressed in a green uniform who apparently served as an escort for them.

"And this is your daughter, I presume?" asked the man when he noticed Asami approaching them.

"Yes," answered Hiroshi, beaming at his daughter when she stopped and stood next to him. No matter how many fights they had gone through, he always showed how much he was proud of her. "Asami, this is Lieutenant Hong Li, Kuvira's representative."

The man offered his hand and Asami accepted it, holding it firmly. Her father had taught her that the grip on someone's hand could tell you a lot about a person. If you squeezed it too softly, people would think you're meek and submissive. If you squeezed it with too much force, you would be thought of as someone aggressive. _And you wouldn't want that. Show them you're confident, that they can't play you. A good handshake is a good first impression. So, keep it firm but gentle_ , he always said. That was what she did.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, lieutenant. Thank you for having us," she said with a tiny bow of her head.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Sato," he replied. "I'd like to apologize on behalf of our Leader," he continued after releasing Asami's hand. "She's attending an important meeting considering some matters of the state so she isn't able to welcome you to our city personally. I'm sure you understand." _She's probably planning how to get even more control over our lives,_ Asami thought to herself.

"Yes, of course," said Hiroshi. "She's a talented, strong, young woman," Asami didn't miss when he glanced at her after saying those words. Even though she was upset with him her heart swelled with pride.

"And I must say I admire the way she's handling everything." The moment was quickly over, Asami almost groaned and rolled her eyes at that, but luckily managed to restrain herself from doing it. If what she knew what could happen to people who disagreed with the system was true, she couldn't afford to show how she felt about the Earth Empire. Especially there, in Zaofu, the heart of Kuvira's monopoly.

"I'm sure she will appreciate your compliment immensely once she hears it from you. You're a successful man yourself and your words have a great value." The Lieutenant smiled and stood proudly. To Asami he looked like her father complimented _him_ and not his leader. "Well, I think it's time to show you where you'll be staying while visiting us. My people will take care of your things and make sure they'll be waiting for you at your place."

He led them to one of the monorail cars that were nearby. In contrast to the rest of the Earth Empire there were no automobiles in Zaofu. Transportation there was based solely on the huge monorail network that was very effective and reliable.

"We've prepared you a guesthouse that's situated near the Leader's estate," explained the lieutenant once they settled in the monorail car which was different from those that were used by general population. It was comfortable but simple because it was never used for long journeys. "Once you've settled, you'll be invited to a dinner party that will be held in one of the courtyards."

"That sounds good. We'll be happy to accept the invitation," said Hiroshi. "And tomorrow we get down to business?"

"Yes, in the morning …"

Asami's mind drifted away as the two men started discussing the schedule. She found herself looking through the window and she couldn't help but be amazed by what she saw. Zaofu really was one of a kind. The whole city was practically made of metal. All six sections were surrounded by petal-like panels which were closed during the night, making the compound one of the safest places in the world.

As expected it didn't take long to reach their destination. Soon, they were driving through the main sector's centre. It was a modern place with innovative architecture and Asami caught a sight of the statue of Toph Beifong, mother of Zaofu's founder, Suyin Beifong.

No wonder Kuvira was considered one of the most powerful people in the world. With her army, technology, influence and a fort like this, it would have been madness to even think about trying anything. That was probably one of the reasons why other nations sat quietly and did nothing when United Republic was annexed. It would have been a fruitless attempt, starting a war that would have been lost the moment the first shot was fired. !

"Well, here we are," said Hong Li when the monorail car started slowing down. "What do you think about Zaofu so far, Miss Sato?"

"I think it's amazing," she replied honestly. She really did like what she had seen so far.

"Yes, it is something special, isn't it?" agreed the lieutenant.

"We'll see more of it tomorrow," Hiroshi assured her because he knew his daughter well. She had a special gleam in her eyes when she found something interesting. And this city was one of those things. "We can take a walk around the place tomorrow or have a tour."

"There would be no problem. If you need someone to show you around, just say the word and I'll take care of it."

"That's really nice of you, Lieutenant." Hiroshi stood up and took Asami's hand into his own, leading her outside of the car. "Then we can have a game of Pai Sho in one of the gardens. I hear they're beautiful."

"That sounds wonderful, dad," she said but couldn't manage to smile.

It took them a minute to reach their guesthouse where Hong Li let them know about the details regarding the dinner party. Then he bid them goodbye and left them in care of the servants who showed them their rooms, where their suitcases were already waiting for them, and the rest of the house. Of course, the house was as meticulously built as the rest of the city. It was luxurious and spacious with huge windows to let the sunlight in.

Settling in her room, Asami laid down on her bed and closed her eyes for a minute. Tonight, she was going to see the Earth Empire's leader again. _The cause for all this anguish and misery_. "All hail the Great Uniter." She spoke those words out loud, remembering them being shouted by Kuvira's soldiers in unison when their beloved Leader finished her speech a year ago after marching into Republic City.

"Ugh, what a bunch of koala sheep," she muttered under her breath as she stood up and started pulling her clothes off to take a bath.

A long evening was ahead of her.


	2. The Alleyway

_Shit, this was a bad idea._

Korra didn't know where to go. She found herself trapped in the dead end of some alley because she had been careless enough to not have thought this through.

That had been her first mistake.

It was late in the evening when Korra returned from the fields where she was helping some local farmers with harvesting their crops. Even though they offered her a place to stay for the night, she kindly declined, telling them she had already found a room in town and it would have been a shame if she didn't sleep there since it had already been paid for. They thanked her for the help and gave her a few silver pieces as a payment. It wasn't much but for Korra it was all she needed to get through the week.

She was walking along the road of a town located somewhere on the Eastern peninsula of the Earth Empire. It was almost dark and many people had already retreated to their homes. She had just started dreaming about taking a bath, washing off dust and dirt and relax after the whole day of hard working when a yell caught her attention. She picked up her pace and turned around the corner. The sight of two thugs standing above a homeless old man begging them to leave him alone stopped her.

When she decided to attack the bandits that were harassing the man, kicking his things around, telling him to move his ass away because he had no place being there, she didn't stop for a second to check how many of them were there. She had been missing fights and this was a good opportunity to use her fighting skills again.

At first it seemed there were only two so she walked closer, thinking she could deal with them right there, teaching them a lesson about respect.

"Hey, stop it!" she shouted at their backs, standing tall with her hands resting on her hips. The old man looked at her with fear in his eyes. The bandits just turned around, giving her angry stares because she had the nerve to interrupt them but when they saw it was only a girl in a slightly ragged olive green top and matching pants they smirked and looked at her with a smug expression.

"What do you want, girl? Go away before you get yourself hurt," said one of the bandits, thinking he could brush her off just like that.

"I'll go when you leave that man alone," she replied, pointing at him with her hand, defiance in her voice telling them she wasn't going away.

"This is none of your business, girl. Walk away while you still can," growled the other one and grabbed the poor man's shirt, well, what was left of it, and lifted him. "This is between us and the old man."

"Please, sir, I have nowhere to go," cried the victim.

The moment the thug touched the elderly person, something snapped inside Korra and she went from standing tall to taking the fighting stance of an earthbender in the blink of an eye.

"Let him go," she muttered and bared her teeth.

"Or what?" retorted the man, not letting go of the old man.

"Why don't you come and find out?" She grinned menacingly and lifted two blocks of stone from the ground with one rigid motion of her arms, letting them know she was ready to fight.

"Find out what?" Korra quickly turned her head around when a voice coming from behind stopped her from delivering the first blow. What she saw made her regret being so careless.

Three more bandits were standing behind her, one of them playing with a rock, levitating and spinning it with circular motion of his hand.

This completely turned the odds against her. Where she was perfectly able to fight two people at once, fighting five people was a completely different story. Even though she was a skilled fighter, facing more than two people required more than just skills. It was about timing, knowing your environment and luck too. She was fast but she didn't really count on luck and didn't know her surroundings well. She had been in that town for only two days and hadn't had a chance to explore it yet.

That was her second mistake.

The bandits had probably lived there for much longer which gave them the field advantage.

"What are you gonna do now, _girl_?" the bandit who was still holding the poor soul taunted her.

 _Wipe that stupid smirk off your face,_ she thought. "Leave him alone."

"Ah, it seems you're under the impression that you're the one giving orders here," said the criminal with the rock who was apparently the leader. _Good, I have to take him down as soon as possible. That might confuse the rest of them ..._ "Let me clear that for you." He clenched his fist and the rock he was playing with was crushed into dust. "You have no business here and since you stepped between my partners and, hm, their _prey_ , you'll have to pay the price."

"But he's just an old guy with nothing," she tried to reason with him and tensed her muscles, getting ready to strike. She had to be quick. She couldn't afford letting them get the upper hand by attacking first.

Looking around, she took in the surroundings and it turned out everything was just a stone wall. That was plenty of material for her – but there was enough for the bandits as well. And then there was the old man ... She had to get him to safety before rocks started flying around. _If only that jerk released him …_

That gave her an idea.

"He's a waste of space, no one needs him here." He noticed her tensing and went into a fighting position similar to Korra's, baring his teeth.

She sighed and slumped her shoulders. For a moment she feigned being defeated and started lowering the rocks she was still controlling and from the corner of her eye saw the thug smiling at her action.

" _You're_ a waste of space," she growled and then, without a warning, sent those two rocks flying. One into the direction of the leader and the other one hit the thug whose hands were too busy to allow him to react fast enough and dodge. A loud crack filled the air when his facial bones broke and a moment later he fell down, unconscious.

 _One down, four to go._

The leader, however, managed to dodge in time, leaning slightly to the side and extending his arm to send his own string of rocks flying towards Korra. She was expecting that and redirected them into the other guy that was bullying the old man. Luckily, he was a non-bender so he just lifted his arms to protect his face before the impact that sent him flying backwards.

When the leader saw that Korra knew how to fight, he barked to the other bandits: "Get her!"

Before they made their first move though, Korra managed to punch a hole through the wall behind the old man. "Run!" she yelled at him and when he saw a chance to escape, he nodded in understanding, quickly grabbed his bag that was lying nearby and scurried away.

Just a second too late, Korra noticed one of the thugs had created an earth line that had been propelling towards her rapidly and hit her square in her chest. _Uf!_

The impact sent her flying away and she landed with a thud, scratching her back and shoulders. She clutched her arms around her body when sharp pain enveloped her chest. _There goes a broken rib._ With an effort, she managed to stand up, but the pain was so intense black spots started to fill her vision. _Well planned, Korra._

There were still three bandits left standing. Two of them were benders, the third one pulled out a knife and was waiting for his turn to strike. The benders sent another string of rocks flying towards her, but this time she managed to protect herself and two stone walls erupted from the ground, creating a shield in a shape of a spear's point. Even this move caused the pain to intensify and she hissed in frustration.

"Come out, girl!" yelled the leader. "We're not finished here!"

She didn't have many options. She had to fight and try to win. Looking at the hole she made for the old man earlier made her consider running, but if she did that, those idiots would keep harassing people.

"You didn't seem that scared a few moments earlier!" Another taunt echoed between the walls of the alley.

There _was_ another option though …

" _You can't let people know you're the Avatar,"_ a voice from her past reminded her.

In the twenty-one years of her life she had never broken that rule. Her true identity had been hidden and covered, known only by a small group of people, and even that wasn't guaranteeing her secret's safety since one of the entrusted exploited that knowledge.

That person was dead now.

She knew she couldn't go into the Avatar state in front of the thugs. She would have had to kill them. Even though the thought did seem attractive, Korra wasn't a killer. That option would come into play only in case of emergency.

With her mind set, she prepared herself for a strike. Trying to ignore the still very present and intense pain in her chest, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment to calm her inner chi.

She felt her shield began to shake. One of the thugs must have had taken control over it, wanting to bring it down and continue the fight. She let him.

The moment her protecting walls were down, she stomped the ground with her foot and a high pillar rose from it. With one side thrust kick she sent the column flying towards the bandits. Expecting resistance from her they all managed to move aside but that gave Korra just enough time to lift a huge boulder, throwing it at the leader who blocked the attack at the last moment and shattered the rock into smaller pieces. With a dusty cloud filling his vision, he didn't see another massive stone approaching him and a moment later he was knocked off his feet and landed flat on his back with his consciousness gone.

The other two thugs hesitated for a moment and Korra grabbed the chance and pinned the non-bender against the wall with shackles made of stone. The other one was just looking scared and lost, now that his leader was momentarily out of the game.

"Next time you think about abusing someone," she growled, breathing hard because the pain was getting worse by the second. "Remember it was a _girl,_ " she emphasised the last word, making a point that _girls_ can be strong too, "that stopped you and there are many girls in the world."

She lifted her arm to deliver the final strike when a sharp pain pierced the side of her thigh. "Argh!" She screamed in agony and collapsed to the ground, catching herself on her hands. That intensified the pain which almost caused her to blackout. Taking a shaky breath she turned her head to look behind her. The bandit who was knocked backwards after Korra redirected the attack at him was now on his knees. Then she glanced at the source of the new pain and saw a knife sticking out of her leg, hot blood soaking through the material of her pants. Anger was now raging through her veins and with a movement of her arm she tore a huge chunk of the wall next to her and swung it at the thug who was thrown to the opposite wall.

Then she was captured. The remaining criminal she didn't manage to take out a few moments earlier bended the ground beneath her and her hands and feet were caught in a vice-like grip of stone restraints. She tried to bend them away but the adrenaline was leaving her body and the pain was becoming too much to bare.

 _Is this the moment where all of my training, hard work and sacrifice of others become undone because of my stupidity?_ Korra wondered because she found herself in a hopeless situation.

The earthbender freed his companion that was pinned on the wall by Korra's shackles. Their leader joined them after regaining his consciousness and they started walking towards the tanned girl, the nonbender with the knife in his hand.

"I told you, you should have run away when you had the chance," said the man who was in charge, wiping away the blood that had been pouring out of his nose. With every step they took, Korra felt her avatar energy growing warmer, travelling down her spine, tingling in her muscles and waiting to be released.

"Don't come any closer!" she growled, fearing she wouldn't be able to control her spirit if danger became bigger. Korra still wasn't prepared to go into the avatar state to get out of this mess she got herself into.

She struggled against her restraints but they didn't move. "You don't wanna do this."

"You're wrong, girl. No one interferes with my friends' business. If they do, we make sure they don't forget about it." He gave a nod to the nonbender who walked to Korra and crouched.

"Look at me," he barked. She didn't. Her eyes were set on the ground, her mind focusing on bits of gravel, trying not to think about the danger she was in but her body was betraying her. She was too weak to shake off the restraints.

Korra was growing scared. Scared of being hurt and scared of exposing her true identity and in that case, killing people to make it secret again.

"You're going to regret this if you don't walk away right now," she whispered loud enough for them to hear.

They only laughed loudly. "Look at that, she's being completely delusional!"

"I'm gonna make her see clearly again," said one of the thugs and someone crouched in front of her. She caught sight of the blade and that warmth she was feeling turned into heat and she knew the moment the blade touched her skin, she'd go into the avatar state.

"Do it," ordered the leader and the thug shifted slightly and grabbed Korra's hair. Her eyes were closed when he pulled her head up.

"Such a pretty face … It's a shame," muttered the thug.

The blade was a hair's breadth away from Korra's cheek when the sound of someone clearing their throat made the thug stop from cutting the girl's skin.

"For spirits' sake, can't we just be do-"

Whatever the man was going to say was drowned by a scream when one of the bandits caught fire. Their leader followed, screaming and throwing himself on the ground, trying to extinguish the flames. The nonbender dropped the knife and released Korra's hair. He was now begging for mercy from whoever was turning his partners into human torches.

Korra opened her eyes when the scream pierced the air, observing the scene that was going on in front of her. She was looking at a firebender who was walking closer to the remaining bandit, their face hidden in the darkness. The stranger grabbed the collar of the bandit's shirt and lifted him up. The voice of an old man reached Korra's ears.

"Tell your band to pack things and never come back. Otherwise, your fate will be much, much worse," the figure growled and threw the thug towards the other two who were now lying on the ground, their hair burnt away but their skin looking untouched.

The criminal managed to pull the other two on their feet and together they fled the scene, completely forgetting about the rest of their partners in crime that were still knocked out.

Korra bent the restraints away and tried to stand up to thank the stranger who saved her but she felt her knees betraying her and started falling to the ground. She was expecting to feel the hard surface hitting her body but instead a firm hand caught her upper arm and prevented Korra from falling.

"You sweet girl …" whispered the man, leaving Korra confused when she struggled to see his face under the hood. With her mind close to blacking out, every action, thought, was an effort.

Noticing that she hadn't recognized him, he chuckled and revealed his face, then smiled softly at her.

For a moment she just stared at a familiar face. A distant memory, not entirely her own, flashed before her eyes. Fiery eyes and a kind, smiling face, marked by a scar.

And a burn mark.

Two words were echoing in Korra's mind when the pain overtook her and she blacked out.

 _Lord Zuko?_

* * *

 _Still working on the update schedule (if there's even gonna be one)._

 _As always, a huuuge thank you to my beta._


	3. Doubts, doubts

"Sweetie, you look beautiful," said Hiroshi when his daughter walked out of her room, dressed in a long sleeveless maroon dress, her hair down. She was wearing just a hint of makeup consisting of red lipstick and a soft touch of eyeshadow.

"Thanks, dad. You look very handsome yourself," she replied and joined him, her hand resting in the crook of his elbow as they walked down the hall towards the main exit.

Three hours after they had settled in their guest house, one of the servants informed Asami and her father that their escort, Lieutenant Hong Li, was ready to take them to the dinner party.

He was there indeed, standing at the top of the stairs with his hands behind his back. He turned around when Hiroshi opened the door. "Ah, there you are!" He exclaimed happily and shook their hands. "I hope I gave you enough time to make yourself comfortable and get ready for this special occasion? You look lovely Miss Sato."

"Oh, plenty, Lieutenant. Thank you," she replied with a small bow of her head.

"So, do you like the house? Is everything to your satisfaction?" asked the lieutenant.

"It's perfect," answered Hiroshi and Asami nodded in agreement.

"I'm pleased to hear that. It's our job to make you feel comfortable while staying with us. Now if you'll follow my lead, we have a dinner to attend."

Asami and her father followed the lieutenant. The path they took led them through simple but beautiful gardens with pools of water and metal arches of different shapes and sizes decorating the place.

Like Hong Li told them earlier, they were staying near Kuvira's estate so it didn't take them long before they reached the main building and entered it. They were greeted by an enormous hall, lightened by marvellous chandeliers which made the room look even bigger.

Tables on the sides were filled with exotic and native fruit, pastries and tiny meat snacks. Many people, most likely other guests, were already waiting there. Some of them were dressed in traditional metal clan robes while the others were wearing uniforms with different insignias and ribbons, indicating how high ranked those people were.

"Follow me, there's someone I'd like you to meet. He's a brilliant mind, just like yourself, Mr. Sato," said the lieutenant and led them past other guests who were engaged in different conversations, making the atmosphere very light and relaxed.

That didn't ease Asami's nerves though. She grew even tenser now that she was walking among the people responsible for what had been going on. She was good at hiding her emotions though. Years of practice made it easier for her to put on the stone mask of a business woman.

They stopped in front of a group of people that was being entertained by a very loud and obnoxious man while sipping wine and enjoying some of the food. "… And then I managed to levitate with the sheer force of my mind!" he exclaimed. _Oh, it's sir Varrick._ Asami remembered seeing him once in one of his movers.

His speech was awarded by applause and approval of his small public. He looked very pleased with himself.

The lieutenant made his way to the man and patted his shoulder. "If you'll excuse me, councillor, it's time you meet special guests who have honoured us with their presence."

 _Like we had much choice,_ Asami internally rolled her eyes, knowing now that refusal would have put them into trouble.

"Oh, who is it? Sorry people, story time's over!" He quickly shook hands with some of his most enthusiastic listeners. Hiroshi and Asami walked over when the lieutenant gestured for them to join.

"Mr. and Miss Sato, this is councillor Varrick, the man in charge of propaganda and the inventions' department."

The man took Hiroshi's hand into his own and shook it almost frantically. "Very nice to meet you, sir, I'm looking forward to doing business with you!"

 _Wait, what?_ Asami didn't remember anything about working with Varrick. She looked at her father who seemed rather irritated by the Varrick's words. The lieutenant must have had noticed his look too because he quickly stepped in.

"Haha, let's not talk about business tonight. Now is not the time." He laughed nervously and then whispered angrily into Varrick's ear. It wasn't quiet enough though, Asami was able to hear his words.

"I thought the Leader told you _not_ to bring this up?"

Varrick looked like he was thinking deeply for a moment and then waved his hand. "Oh, right, she did, it kind of slipped my mind. You know, it would be much easier to remember things if you _hadn't taken my assistant away_ …" he retorted.

The lieutenant pulled away and was about to say something else when one of the servants announced Kuvira's arrival. Everything went quiet and a moment later a woman in a green uniform, decorated with metal plates and a high collar, walked in. A young man, wearing a similar outfit, was following her. Her head was raised high, hands behind her back and the last of the doubts Asami had about her was cleared. Kuvira wasn't _one_ of the most powerful people in the world. _She_ was the most powerful person currently walking this planet. Her pose radiated pure power, confidence and authority.

When she halted, everybody turned towards her, and the young man that was now standing next to her hit the floor with his boot, and Asami flinched when the hall was filled with "All hail the Great Uniter!"

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Varrick didn't look impressed, rather bored in fact, while muttering the salutation and looking at his nails. In contrast to Varrick, the Lieutenant shouted the words proudly.

"Good evening everyone, and welcome." Kuvira's voice was calm and powerful, reflecting her personality. "It is a great pleasure to see you gathered here tonight. It has been more than a year since _we_ , the people of the proud and strong Earth nation, managed to unite all our lands – the lands that belonged to our ancestors, the lands that had been taken away from us by other nations and … The Avatar. Through pain and loss we've learnt that we can trust no one that isn't of our kind."

The murmurs of approval surrounded Asami, sending a cold shiver down her spine. She was genuinely terrified of what she was witnessing here. _Brainwashing. She's blaming other nations_ and _the Avatar for suffering caused by a few._

Kuvira's voice trailed off for a moment, looking like she got lost in her thoughts. Then it was back with a softer tone, as if she was talking to a child. "I couldn't have done this without you. I am proud to be standing here because we proved to them that we're no longer keeping silent. They should know that united we are strong and we're never giving away what is ours!"

A round of applause and cheers erupted around Asami. Never in her life before had she needed to leave some place so strongly as she did in that moment. Seeing all these people consuming Kuvira's words without giving them a second thought was sickening.

Well, except for Varrick. He still seemed extremely bored.

"Now if you'll follow me, the dinner is ready," Kuvira's voice once again filled the room and her guests followed her through the door that led to another spacious room with a "U" shaped table setup.

"Let me take you to your seats," said Hong Li. Asami and her father followed him to the table and took their respective seats to the right of the main table, where Kuvira and her escort had already been seated.

The others sat down as well and were chatting until their young leader stood up, with a metal wine glass in her hand raised to her eyes' level. The others followed and raised their glasses, waiting for her next words.

"To Earth Empire!" she cheered and everyone repeated her words in unison.

Almost everyone.

Asami just raised her cup, not a word leaving her mouth and took a sip of red wine. Her father on the other hand, cheered along with them which made Asami feel alone and isolated. She didn't want to be there anymore. Not that she wanted to be there in the first place but the urge to flee the scene was growing into a burning need.

Everyone started eating and chatting lively, obviously enjoying the dinner. Asami didn't touch her food.

"Don't you like the food?" a voice on her right reached her.

"Huh? No, I mean, yes, I'm just not really hungry," she answered and looked at the man, well, more like a boy. Eyeing him warily, she noticed his big green eyes and a kind smile on his lips. His jet black hair was neatly trimmed, with a strand of hair sticking out slightly on his forehead, giving him a childlike look.

"Oh, yeah, these things can be quite overwhelming. I remember the first time I attended such a dinner. So many important people around, being invited to Leader's own home and stuff, you know. I couldn't eat much myself that time, even though I'm a real food lover."

Asami was slightly taken aback by this outburst of words. She hid it though and nodded once.

"The name's Bolin, by the way," he said and flashed her a wide grin.

"Asami Sato," she replied with her business voice. "So, what's the occasion for this dinner party? I thought you celebrated the union a few wee-"

"Whoa, wait, wait, wait, wait ... You're Asami Sato? _The_ Asami Sato? The daughter of Hiroshi Sato, the man who owns Future Industries and," he glanced over her shoulder noticing Hiroshi next to her, talking to the man on his left, "… _Is sitting next to you_?!" His jaw dropped open and his hands shot up to his face, squeezing the cheeks.

Asami couldn't hold back a chuckle. Despite his Earth Empire's uniform, she couldn't help but notice he was kind of dorkish, looking innocent even.

"Yeah, that's me and the man sitting next to me is my father."

"Maaan, he's such an inspiration! And your project for building an engineering school? I think that's awesome!"

"Oh, thanks." She appreciated that he acknowledged her work. Most of the time people referred to her only as "Hiroshi's daughter" or "the heiress of her father's company". It meant a lot to her when she was recognized for her work rather than her status. She was starting to get a good feeling about him and her feelings about people never let her down. _I hope I'm not wrong this time …_

"So, how come you're celebrating the union again?" she repeated the question.

"Oh, it's not really a celebration. The real thing happened with the big parade, you know. There were fireworks, delicious food, metal dancers and just everything! It was really amazing. Tonight though is more like an official dinner for the officers and people in her circle."

"Important people?" Asami offered.

He coughed a bit nervously at her words. "Uh, yeah, haha, important people. Anyway, it's more personal this way. But, no offence, why were you invited? I know your company and our army have a deal, so you sort of are "important people". Don't get me wrong, it's just that there weren't any "outsiders"," he air quoted the word, "the last time an event like this happened."

That did sound a bit odd. Inviting them for an occasion like this? Even though there was going to be a business meeting the following day, they could have stayed in their guest house.

Thinking about the business meeting sickened Asami, in fact, this whole trip was turning into a nightmare. She was a dictator's guest, surrounded by people who would have hurt her if they knew how she really felt about Earth Empire and its leader. Her father was about to make a deal that was going to bind their company to this reign of dictatorship. What hurt her the most, though, was the fact that Hiroshi was okay with that. She couldn't understand why he didn't want to open his eyes.

"Well, my father is going to make a deal with your leader tomorrow morning and we were told to arrive today," she explained. "Then we were invited to the dinner."

She shifted in her seat and looked around. Indeed, she and her father were sticking out like a sore thumb. Everyone else seemed to be somehow affiliated with Earth Empire. Yes, Future Industries had been the main weapons provider of the empire, but except for the trading deal, they had close to no ties.

She didn't like the deal her father was going to make since the beginning. But now a bigger doubt was settling in her mind. Something else felt odd about the arrangement. _Working with Varrick? Getting invited to an event that's usually reserved for people in Kuvira's circle? It feels like this dinner is just an intro to something much bigger._

The cling of a fork against a metal glass redirected everyone's attention back to Kuvira. She waited until all eyes were on her. "As you may have noticed, two special guests have joined us tonight. You all have probably heard of Mr. Sato's willingness to help our cause by supplying our army with his brilliant inventions that helped us get where we are today. Just like we couldn't have achieved so much without your help, it would have been much harder and it would have taken us longer to unite our people if Future Industries hadn't been prepared to sell us their amazing machines. On that note, I propose a toast in honour of the partnership between our nation and Future Industries."

While the guests toasted, Kuvira and Hiroshi raised their glasses towards each other. Then her gaze found Asami's and the leader bowed her head slightly, giving the heiress a polite smile. Asami forced one of her own and returned the gesture. The moment quickly passed but the lingering feeling of the Uniter's gaze left the girl thinking that Kuvira _knew_.

"Well, that explains a lot," said Bolin and Asami turned her head to face the boy.

"What do you mean?" she asked, restraining herself from sounding worried.

"Why you're here. I suppose Leader is really grateful for what you and your father have done for the empire," he explained.

"What I and my daughter have done for the empire?" Hiroshi joined the conversation. "Young man, it was a great honour helping your people to find peace and stability again."

"Mr. S-S-Sato, sir …" His voice trailed off for a second so Asami decided to step in.

"Dad, this is Bolin, Bolin, this is my dad, Hiroshi Sato," she leaned back a bit so they could shake hands. Bolin looked like he was about to faint.

"It's an honour to meet you, sir. You and your daughter are a great inspiration, I really admire your work." He then turned to Asami and mouthed: " _This is amazing!"_ which made her laugh again.

Hiroshi laughed too. "Why, thank you lad, I appreciate that! You must have done something great yourself considering you're here tonight. I don't see many corporals around."

Bolin blushed at his praise. "Well, not really, I mean ye-"

"Corporal Bolin has earned his place by proving his worth and loyalty with fighting bandits and helping Earth Empire citizens."

Bolin suddenly stood up and took a saluting pose, his chin raised high.

Kuvira was standing in front of their table with a small smile resting on her lips. "At ease, corporal." He lowered his arm and relaxed a bit.

Asami's blood froze in her veins. She found herself looking at this tall and confident woman. An air of coolness and strength was surrounding her, which was almost mesmerizing. It sort of made sense why people followed her and believed her so blindly.

"He was one of the first people to join our cause and he's a national hero."

Asami glanced at the boy who was now red as a tomato and his chest swelled with pride. Sadness washed over her. He was too young to be in this mess.

"So, how are you enjoying the dinner?" the tall woman asked.

"It's terrific. We're honoured to be here. And thank you for the toast," Hiroshi answered.

"How about you, Miss Sato? I see you've found yourself some good company." Kuvira glanced between Asami and Bolin.

 _What is she implying?_ Asami wondered. "Yes, ma'am, the food is delicious and Bolin here is a charming young man."

"I'm glad to hear that. I'd love to chat more with you but I should say hi to the rest of the guests."

She shook hands with Hiroshi. "We'll talk more later and, of course, tomorrow."

"Looking forward to it," replied the man.

Kuvira turned to Asami. "Miss Sato."

The heiress accepted the offered hand.

Kuvira's grip was firm.

* * *

 _My beta is the best. Go check out her blog -_ _kuroescapism .tumblr .com_


	4. I am the Avatar

" _Dad, dad, did you see me? Did you see how I turned him into an ice cube? Did you see?" eight year old Korra shouted happily and rushed towards her parents. Her father caught and lifted her high into the air._

" _Of course honey! You did so well, I'm so proud of you!" he said and pressed a wet kiss on her cheek._

" _Ew, that's gross," she grimaced and wiped her cheek. Tonraq laughed loudly and handed the little girl to her mother who hugged her hard. Korra's arms wrapped around Senna's and her tiny nose found its way to the soft and warm neck._

" _My brave warrior," Senna whispered and stroked the girl's hair gently and Korra's chest swelled with pride. To her, there was no better compliment than being called a warrior._

" _I passed, right?" The young waterbender pulled back to look at her mother and then father who patted her back._

" _Are you kidding? You passed it twice in my opinion but we'll have to hear what master Katara has to say. Maybe we should ask her?" He tilted his head a bit to the side, indicating that her master was approaching._

 _Senna let her down and Korra stood tall and straight, her fist resting against the palm of her other hand, trying hard to contain the excitement. Her twitching lips were betraying her._

 _Master Katara and two White Lotus members, one hooded, stopped in front of the family. Seeing the old waterbender master smiling softly at her, Korra lost that little self-restraint she had and started bouncing on the spot._

" _Master Katara, did I pass? Did I pass?"_

 _Katara chuckled at the little girl. "Yes, Korra, you passed-"_

" _Wooohooo!" The girl threw her hands into the air and started running in circles around her parents who were now hugging and looking at their ecstatic child._

" _I made it!" She stopped in front of them and hugged them. Then she turned around and ran to hug her waterbending master too._

" _You did really well, Korra. You displayed a vast knowledge of waterbending skills and I think you will haunt the man you just beat for a long time," the old woman praised the child._

" _Thank you, master Katara," Korra pulled back and bowed to her._

" _Now, someone special came to visit you on this special day. It's an old friend," said Katara and moved a bit to the side, tugging at the sleeve of the hooded White Lotus member who stepped closer._

 _The figure pulled the hood away to reveal an old man with white hair and pointy beard, smiling at the girl. Korra didn't recognize him at first, she thought she had never seen this man before. Then something clicked in her mind and a moment later she found herself hugging her old friend from her previous life._

" _It's nice to finally meet you, Avatar Korra," said Lord Zuko._

" _It's nice to see you again," Korra replied. The feeling of familiarity was strong, like two friends who had parted their way for a long time before finally reuniting._

" _Korra."_

" _Hm?"_

" _Korra, would you like some tea?"_

" _Huh?" Korra was confused. Why was he offering her tea?_

" _Korra … Open your eyes."_

Korra woke up from the dream. She tried to pull herself up, but a broken rib made it painfully clear that it wasn't such a good idea.

With a hiss, she lowered herself back on the pillow and looked at an unfamiliar ceiling. _Where am I, exactly?_ She looked around and her gaze quickly stopped on Lord Zuko sitting on a chair next to her bed, sipping from a cup.

"Good morning," he greeted. "I don' know what your sheets did to offend you. I thought you were going to tear them apart." He pointed at her fist clutching the sheets beneath her. She quickly released them and tried to smooth the material.

"A bad dream?"

"No, just a memory," she answered.

He nodded once. "How are you feeling? I made tea, I'm sure you could use some."

"Yeah, thanks."

Lord Zuko handed her a cup of still hot jasmine tea. Using waterbending, she stirred the content and let some of the steam evaporate.

"Here's a bowl of water, you'll probably want to use it. That wound seems pretty nasty. I tended to it the best I could but it's still far from good."

Korra uncovered the blanket and saw her pants torn where the wound was. Her thigh was wrapped with bandages that were already being soaked through with blood.

"Thank you, lord Zuko," she said and smiled gratefully.

"Well, I'll give you some privacy so you can heal. I'll be waiting outside. Let me know if you need anything. Then we'll talk." He walked towards the door, with a cup of tea in his hand.

"Okay. And thank you … For saving me."

"Some habits die hard," he replied and flashed her a grin which she returned.

When he was out of the room, Korra propped herself higher, cursing under her breath when the broken rib protested. Then she almost cried out in pain when she flexed her thigh while dragging it higher. _Spirits, this hurts._

The tanned girl took a short break after the effort and wiped sweat from her forehead. When the pain slightly subsided, she bended the water out of the bowl and let it touch the wound. She needed to stop the bleeding before removing the bandages. She closed her eyes, focusing on the tiny tendrils of water penetrating the material and then touching her skin which made her twitch. Releasing a shaky breath, she let them wander further until they reached the wound, feeling the heat of blood and flesh. _Okay, here we go._

It took Korra quite some time to close the wound. It still needed some time to heal completely but at least she would be able to walk. She did the same to her injured rib after taking off her shirt and unwrapping the bindings from her chest. When she felt she could rotate her body without feeling too much pain she decided that was enough for the time being. She would repeat the process later.

Korra slowly slid off the bed and tested her leg by putting some weight on it. The pain was still present but it was bearable. She limped over to her bag that was resting on a small dresser. She pulled out a fresh pair of pants, similar to those she was wearing earlier.

Feeling better now that she wasn't convulsing in pain, Korra limped out of her room to look for Zuko. She found him outside, sitting on a bench, relishing in the morning sun.

"How did you find me?" she asked after taking a seat next to the old firebender.

"Would you rather I didn't find you?" he mused, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

"No, I mean, I'm more than thrilled to be sitting here without blood on my hands but … Are you here to take me back to the South Pole?"

"I was sent on this mission to find you-"

"Well, I'm not going back," she stood up abruptly, wincing when the pain shot through her thigh. _This will need more healing than I first thought._ "During the three years I've been away from home I've learnt more about the world than I would have if I stayed. If you can't let me be the Avatar that I'm supposed to be, then at least let me learn about the people I should protect."

"Korra, we kept you in the compound because your life was in danger. The Red Lotus was after you, we had to protect you somehow."

"That didn't turn out really well, did it?" Korra retorted, remembering her uncle's betrayal. "I'm not going back."

"Who said anything about getting you back?"

"You said-"

"I said I was sent here to find you. I never said anything about getting you back," Zuko explained calmly and took another sip of his tea.

That stopped Korra in her tracks. She was quiet for a moment and sat back down. "Oh, well, why did you come then?"

"There've been whispers about Earth Empire."

"What about it?"

"How much have you been keeping track of what's been going on around the Empire?" he asked.

Korra thought for a moment. She had heard and read about Kuvira, the woman who brought peace to Earth Kingdom after the Earth Queen was assassinated by the leader of the Red Lotus. Korra ran from home after the battle of the Two Lotuses. She'd been travelling around the world ever since and wherever she came, everyone had been talking about the Great Uniter.

"She's the person who brought peace and balance to Earth Kingdom," Korra said, looking at her hands. "Something that I was supposed to do …" she added bitterly, "Unulaq was right, no one needs the Avatar anymore."

Zuko looked sternly at her. "Was Unulaq able to open the spirit portals? Did he bring airbending back?"

Remembering the events with her uncle she knew he had a point. "Well, no, but-"

"Exactly." He sighed. "Look, Korra. We've been keeping you away for a reason. I, personally, am still trying to see if the reason has been good enough … But anyway, I believe there are things going on in Earth Empire that might change the world we know."

"Even more than the opening of the spirit portals?" Korra asked.

"Yes, I believe so."

"What is it? I wanna help!" She shot up on her feet again, this time ignoring the pain.

Zuko chuckled at her eagerness. "I know you do, that's why I'll have to ask you to keep your head low."

"What? Why? How am I supposed to help you if I can't use my powers?" she argued because she didn't understand that even after getting the green light she wasn't allowed to fulfil her destiny.

"Because you will be our greatest weapon if it comes to a conflict and we can't afford to lose you."

Korra let the words sink in. _A conflict? What have I been missing?_ She wondered and tried to remember anything that would have seemed off to her while listening to the radio or reading the newspaper.

But she couldn't.

"Lord Zuko, what are you talking about? Which conflict?"

"Like I said, I've heard things." He briefly explained the situation in Earth Empire. How dictatorship and repression were ruling the nation. How the White Lotus members had been under scrutiny or taken away, leaving their hands tied after Kuvira seized power. How other world leaders were afraid to act. She was left dumbfounded.

"How do I not know about that?" Korra asked, thoughts flying in her mind.

"Because people are being fed false information. There's a special department in Kuvira's council that takes care of that."

Korra started pacing back and forth. All of this came out of the blue. Just a day before she had been just a girl, with special powers to bend all the four elements, but nevertheless just a girl learning about the world of which she was a solemn protector. Now, something new was thrust upon her. Something she'd been waiting for since her tiny waterbending palms produced bright flames.

A chance to prove herself as the Avatar.

She looked at her hands covered with remnants of blisters and tiny scars. She'd been working hard since the moment she left the compound, taking every opportunity to earn food and shelter. Fishing, logging, building, helping at farms, all while hiding away her abilities, using only the one that was convenient at the time. That gave her a chance to explore the world and learn about the different nations. She didn't mind that kind of life but it left her _unsatisfied_. Something was burning inside her and she knew exactly what it was. She was born to be the Avatar and as such she needed to do _more_.

"Why can't I just do the Avatar thing and tell her to back off?"

"Because it's not that simple, Korra. You can't just waltz in and demand for her to step down."

"Why not? I'm the Avatar." She crossed her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow.

Zuko sighed. "First of all, as the Avatar, you can't take sides. If you do that, it will be seen as an attack on the whole Earth nation. Second of all, Kuvira is a powerful woman surrounded by people who would die for her."

Korra scowled and threw her arms into the air. _Am I supposed to just sit there and do nothing?_ "What should I do then?"

"Be patient," he answered simply.

"Patient? I've been patient my whole life!"

"If yesterday was what you call patience, then I don't think you grasped the concept of it."

"I didn't … I … Um … That was one mistake!" She blushed at the memory of her foolishness, the feeling of shame creeping up her neck.

"A mistake that could have cost you dearly." He set his empty tea cup on the bench and stood up, walking over to the girl. His hands gripped her shoulders and he looked her in the eyes. "I know this must be hard for you. You're the Avatar and you haven't been given a chance to prove that to the world. I admit that I find myself doubting the decision to keep you away but what's done is done." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "These days it's crucial to be patient. You can't reveal yourself just yet. You'd be taken away immediately. Kuvira's people are everywhere. And you should be aware of one more thing."

"Of what?"

"People might not be understanding about your absence."

 _Oh._ The words hit her like an airbison. _They think I'm hiding, which I am, technically, but for all the wrong reasons._

"I'm not a coward, it's not my fault I haven't be able to do my duties!"

"I know, but _they_ don't, so listen to me when I tell you to stay low."

They gazed into each other's eyes without breaking contact for what seemed like an eternity.

Korra had grown used to not taking any commands anymore. She had been free from such bindings for years. But she knew that in order to become a good Avatar, she'd have to listen to the counsels of others. After all, Lord Zuko was a wise man _and_ her predecessor's best friend.

She lowered her gaze and nodded. "What do I have to do?"

"Go to Republic City. Even though the repression is strongest there, you are most likely to get help from the citizens."

Korra knitted her eyebrows. "I'm not sure I understand."

"The metropolis is a mixture of all nations, benders and non-benders. There's no other place on the planet with a more diverse population than this part of Earth Empire. Kuvira wants it to be Earth nation only again."

The tanned girl understood. "She's cleansing the state."

Zuko nodded. "If the rumours about resistance are true, you'll have to find people who know about it. They have the most information about everything that has been going on."

"Okay. Then what?"

He released her shoulders and stroked his beard. "I'm afraid that's all I can give you right now. I'm sorry."

"How do youknow about all of this?" Korra couldn't help but wonder.

A sad sigh left Zuko's mouth. "Tenzin."

A chill ran down Korra's spine. "Did something happen to him? His family?"

A nod. "He's been receiving threats … They will take his family away if he doesn't stop opposing the system."

That angered Korra more than anything Zuko had told her. She knew Tenzin and his family. He and his eldest daughter Jinora helped Korra with airbending and understanding the spiritual side of bending. They all found their way to Korra's heart.

"I will stop this, lord Zuko," she said, determination settled in her voice. He smiled at that. It reminded him of Aang.

"I will try to find a way to help you, Avatar Korra," he replied and bowed his head. "In the meantime, stay safe and be careful who you trust."

"I will."

They spent the rest of the day talking about things they had been through. Korra asked about her parents, who had missed her dearly but understood her decision nevertheless.

It was late in the evening when he gave her some yuans for travelling expenses and bid his farewell. Then he flew away on his fire dragon that had been hiding in a cave located near the town.

She returned to her room and prepared for sleep. Before going to bed though, she repeated the healing process on her thigh and rib then laid down on the old mattress. A tear trailed down her cheek after going through all that happened to her in a span of one day. All this knowledge left her exhausted and soon she found herself dreaming more about the training days at the compound.

* * *

 _Because young Korra is important._

 _Thanks to my beta - kuroescapism . tumblr . com - for not giving up on me._


	5. The Betrayal

"I believe we should not waste any time. Let's get straight to business," said Kuvira after everyone had settled down, taking their respective seats at the table.

Asami was sitting between her father, who'd been silent all morning, and Bolin. She didn't understand why a soldier like himself attended such an event. Sitting opposite of her was councillor Varrick who seemed to be more interested into the events.

She hadn't expected other people to be present at the meeting, which made her feel uneasy. The heiress didn't like surprises when it came to making deals. What worried her even more was the fact that her father wasn't his usual self. The CEO didn't eat his breakfast that morning even though he wasn't a person to miss it.

"Baatar," Kuvira nodded at the man who had been escorting her throughout the dinner party.

He cleared his throat. "As you already know the purpose of this meeting today, I'll just keep it short and simple. But firstly, thank you again, Mr. Sato, for supporting our cause."

Hiroshi bowed his head, letting Baatar know his gratitude had been accepted.

"Now, since this deal has been most beneficial for both parties, one of the propositions we would like to discuss is the continuation of this business association and its modifications. The Leader and department of development members have gone through many debates about how to improve this connection and if I am not mistaken, you have already agreed with them."

"That is correct," said Hiroshi. "I am pleased to say that Earth Empire has been living up to its end of the bargain. I see no reason why this partnership shouldn't continue."

If Asami had had any hope left that Hiroshi would change his mind, it was now crushed by every word that left his lips.

"Our company has always been striving for progress. I am sure that the opportunity to work with you and your army will produce even more positive results."

 _Really, dad?_ Asami clenched her fists under the table. _Positive results as in causing more violence?_

"And since our main competitor, Cabbage Corp, doesn't pose any threats to our common market anymore, my company can focus on developing your invention."

"Excellent. We can assure you that Future Industries will be the Empire's leading manufacturer," said Baatar, glancing at Kuvira who nodded slowly to confirm his words. His attention went back to Hiroshi and he continued, "And since you've mentioned our invention, I believe it is a good opportunity to ask councillor Varrick to take it from here."

"Ah, yes, about that," Varrick straightened his robe before starting an explanation about this invention of his. "It's not a secret that what you are about to hear is, in fact, a secret. _Top_ secret even." His forefinger shot up into the air to make a point. "I think there's no need to emphasize the importance of keeping this to yourself ... The project I have been working on is called ' _The spirit weapon_ '. As the name itself implies, our work will involve handling spirit energy."

That didn't sit right with Asami. "Wait, wait, I don't think I heard you right. _Spirit energy_?" This was the first time she ever heard anything about using spirit energy. _Why hadn't dad told me about this?_

"Asami …" Hiroshi's quiet voice tried to warn her.

She looked at him, confusion and disbelief written all over her face.

"Yes, spirit energy. Is there a problem?" asked Baatar, looking from Asami to her father.

"No problem at all," answered Hiroshi quickly, which earned him an almost inaudible huff from his daughter. "Please, continue."

Varrick eyed Asami for a second before shrugging his shoulders. "The research team discovered that banyan-grove trees' roots contain a lot of spirit energy and brought some samples to our research facilities. Soon after that I was able to extract the energy and even contain small amounts of it but couldn't find a way to put the thing into practical use. Here, take a look," he pulled out a small glass vial and handed it to Hiroshi across the table. Looking closer, Asami couldn't restrain a small gasp from leaving her lips. The content of the vial looked so _pure_ , like a small pink lightning trapped inside of a small container, searching for its way out.

 _Just another reason why this is so wrong_ , Asami thought. _People shouldn't be playing with such power. It's dangerous and for what it's worth, this is_ not _the purpose of spirit energy. Spirits don't destruct their world so we shouldn't be exploiting this power to wreak havoc in our own._

"Do you want to look closer, Asami?" asked Hiroshi carefully after noticing the _look_ on Asami's face which was betraying her keen interest.

Even though she was against this whole idea, she felt attracted to it. Holding it gently, she turned the container around, looking at it from different angles. It looked beautiful to her which left her wondering why anyone would have wanted to exploit something so wonderful for violence.

"Pretty amazing, huh?" asked Varrick with a smirk.

"Yes, it is," replied Asami and returned the vial to the man who then tucked it into the inner pocket of his robe. "That's why I don't understand why you would want to use it as a weapon."

"I'm afraid we cannot discuss this with you, Miss Sato." This was the first time Kuvira had spoken since the meeting had started. She was sitting straight with her gloved hands clasped on the table before her. "You and your father are here to help us develop the safest way to contain the energy and transform it into something useful. Whatever we choose to do with the final product is none of your concern."

 _Well, it's not really a secret to me anyways._

"Yes, yes, even more top secret," muttered Varrick. Kuvira raised her brow, giving him a questioning look. "Let's continue, shall we?" he quickly added with a way too excited voice. "Since you'll probably need your equipment and the space for work, we've agreed that I would leave Zaofu with you and work with you at Future Industries rather than here."

Looking at Hiroshi, Asami noticed that the fact this man was going to work with them didn't faze him at all. _He isn't surprised … Yet another thing he didn't care to share with me._ Keeping quiet this time, she clenched her fists even harder. By that point, she was sure permanent nail marks would be imprinted into her skin.

"Are you okay?"

She completely forgot about Bolin who was sitting next to her and had apparently noticed the heiress' discomfort.

Not bothering to share her upsetting thoughts, she only shook her head. He didn't buy it but refrained from saying more. She was a bit moved by the worry in his voice.

"Yes, that sounds perfect," agreed Hiroshi.

"Great! We'll send one of our ships with you to carry all of my equipment and the samples of spirit vines."

"We will also make sure you'll have all the resources needed for your work. So, make sure you keep in touch," said Baatar, fixing his glasses.

"That won't be a problem since councillor Varrick's job will be to report about the progress," added Kuvira. "I want detailed daily reports."

"Yes, Leader," answered the councillor. "So, if I'm not mistaken, that's all I had to say?"

For some reason, Hiroshi's shoulders tensed up, as if he was waiting for a blow, and that didn't go unnoticed by Asami. It made her worried; that was the first time that day her father showed anything relating to emotions.

"Yes, thank you councillor Varrick. Are there any questions from your side, Mr. Sato?" asked Kuvira.

"In fact, I do have one. When do you need the final product to be delievered?"

"As soon as possible, Mr. Sato. I do understand this is highly advanced technology and that no man before has possessed such power, well, except for the Avatars, but I believe even their power cannot compare to what we have here."

"How can you be so sure?" asked Asami, "the Avatar's powers come from spirits. Their energy _is_ a spirit."

"True, but that energy is trapped inside of a human body. People are weak because we live in the material world. Our bodies aren't compatible enough to reach the full potential of such power. Not even the Avatar," explained Kuvira, her eyes set on Asami's.

Bolin cleared his throat rather loudly, earning everyone's attention. "May I?"

"Sure," replied his leader.

He started wringing his hands. "So, let's say if we knew where the Avatar is … Hopefully, this is not the same story as it was with Avatar Aang, 'cause you know, that would suck. I mean a hundred years without the Avatar? We all know how that ended-"

"Corporal, can you please get to the point?" Baatar interrupted Bolin's rambling session.

"Oh, yeah, my point. Well, if the Avatar was here and against our cause, would that mean that we could defeat them? Like defeat the Avatar?"

"Yes." It was a simple answer. "But you shouldn't worry about the Avatar though. We don't even know if there is one. If there is, however, we will make it clear they are not needed here."

Asami was hoping that the rumours about the Avatar being gone or abandoning people were wrong. Before her mother died, she had spent evenings listening to Yasuko telling her stories about the four nations, benders and old heroes taking care of the world's balance. She had always admired Avatars' willingness to put the needs of others before theirs. As a child, her biggest dream, besides engineering, had been to meet the Avatar. With every passing year without a word about the master of all elements her dream had grown smaller. She still believed though. Believed that someday the new Avatar would show themselves to the world.

"So, if that's all, there's one more thing left to be discussed." Kuvira's gaze was once again set on Asami. It made her uneasy but she didn't flinch or move nevertheless. "I've heard about your project, Miss Sato."

Asami felt like she was thrown into the Kyoshi river during winter. Her breath taken away by an icy shock that enveloped her body. _Okay, calm down, Asami, breathe._ "Excuse me?" She glanced at her father who looked like all blood had been drained from his face. _He knew about this too …_

"You're building an engineering school?"

"Yes, I am. It's a _personal_ project I started working on not long ago. Not many people are as lucky as I am so I want to give them an opportunity to learn." She emphasized the word "personal", making it sound like she had no interests in anyone interfering with it.

The hint went unnoticed by Kuvira or she chose to ignore it. "Very generous of you, Miss Sato. I am very interested into your work. It looks like you've taken after your father and I am sure we can expect great things from you. That's why I would love nothing more than having someone from my circle work with you and learn your ways."

Asami knew this was coming as soon as Kuvira opened her mouth. She was not okay with it. Not even close. The thought of Kuvira's people lurking around, overseeing everything she was doing made her sick. Yes, she wanted to share her knowledge, but not like this. Especially since that didn't feel like sharing knowledge … More like monitoring her work. _What choice do I have though? If I say no, I might get myself into a bad situation. She already looks suspicious and saying no to this would throw an even worse light on me …_ Thinking about the consequences if she was to refuse the proposal, Asami made up her mind even though she hated herself for it. She chose to follow her father's footsteps. For now.

"Who would you be sending?" she asked, her face a stone mask.

"Corporal Bolin. I trust him and I think he would make a good assistant to you. I'll leave assigning duties to you though," said Kuvira with a small, satisfied smile.

Asami looked at Bolin. His lips were stretched into a wide grin. She wouldn't have been surprised if he gave her the thumbs up, given how excited he looked.

 _Well, I think this is the best I could get out of this situation. And I do kind of like Bolin._

"Okay then. I guess I can find a suitable job for him."

"Very well." Kuvira stood up, clasping her hands together. "This will be all then. If there are any further questions, now is the right time to address them."

Hiroshi pushed himself away from the table, standing up as well. "Thank you, all is clear." He glanced at Asami, who mimicked his action.

"Yes, everything is perfectly clear," said the heiress in a cold business voice. It was a struggle though. She felt angry, upset and betrayed.

"Perfect. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere else to be now. As always, it was a pleasure doing business with you." Kuvira bowed her head then rested her hand on Baatar's shoulder for a second, looking at him before leaving the room.

"Well, I guess I'll pack my stuff then," said Varrick, standing up and stretching his limbs.

"Yeah, me too!" exclaimed Bolin happily.

"Make sure you have your things on the airship by afternoon. You're leaving in the evening. Unless you wish to stay a bit longer?" Baatar turned to Hiroshi and Asami.

It was Asami who answered. "Evening is fine. I miss home and I'd like to get back to work as soon as possible." She couldn't wait to get her hands back on her blueprints and tools. Work was one of the best ways to get her mind distracted. Which she needed desperately.

He smirked in admiration of her enthusiasm. "You heard the lady, gentlemen. Evening it is."

"Yes, sir!" Bolin saluted.

"So, this meeting is concluded. Would you like me to call the Lieutenant to escort you back to your house?" asked Baatar, addressing Hiroshi and his daughter.

"Thank you, sir, I think I can find my way back." Asami bowed once and walked out of the room without glancing back at her father who was left standing there, looking at her retreating form.

He knew he had made a terrible mistake.

* * *

Three knocks on the door of her room stopped Asami mid-walking. She knew it was her father. The thought of him made her blood boil in her veins. With her back facing the door, she inhaled deeply. "Come in."

The door opened and a moment later the sound of it being closed filled the room.

"Asami-"

"What the fuck, dad?" she turned her head to look at her father before her whole body followed.

He winced at her sharp and cold voice, not used to hearing such words leaving her mouth. His daughter rarely swore, especially in his presence.

"Asami, I'm sorr-"

"How could you do this to me, dad? How could you stab me in the back? I thought you trusted me!" Her hands were clenched into fists and she felt hot tears pooling in her eyes.

"Please, listen …" he pleaded but she didn't give him a chance to continue.

"I've been listening to you. I knew every detail of this deal until it turned out I didn't! Not to mention it was completely unprofessional of you. Do you even know how stupid I felt when I was bombarded with things I had no idea were a part of the contract? Varrick? Spirit energy? _Interfering with my own personal project?_ You _know_ how much this means to me and you had to go and ruin it. I can't believe this is happening." She ran her hand through her hair with frustration, starting to pace back and forth.

"I did this for us, Asami!"

"For us? You mean for yourself! You did this to save your company because you're too scared to stand up for what is right!"

"Damn it, Asami, you don't understand!" he raised his voice slightly, taking a step closer to her.

"I understand perfectly. It's all about business. That's all that matters to you. You were given a chance to make your name stand side by side with the most powerful empire in the world. Well, congratulations, you did it."

"I did this to protect you. You wouldn't have come with me if I had told you everything. You know you wouldn't. That was not an option though. Kuvira made it clear that she wanted you to come. I was afraid of the consequences if you didn't."

"I can't believe you have so little faith in me." The dam broke and those tears started rolling down her cheeks, leaving hot trails behind them.

"What was I supposed to do? You were against this from the beginning. Telling you everything would have made you even more determined to stop me. I can't stop though … You may think I'm blind but I do know things aren't as they were supposed to be."

She stopped pacing and looked at him, searching his face.

Shaking her head she said: "Please, leave, I want to be alone."

"Asami, don't …" he tried to reach her, to comfort his only child, a girl he loved more than his life but she stopped him with her hand raised.

"Go, I can't see you right now ..."

Defeated, he sighed and walked out of the room, leaving Asami alone with her thoughts and tears.

* * *

 _Sorry, this was a bit late. Finals are ... Finals._

 _Thank you all for taking your time and reading this fic (here's a special shoutout to my #1 reader Thundercatroar who keeps reviewing my story. Thank you!)._

 _And of course, another huge thank you to my beta -_ _.com_

 _(If anyone's interested, stay tuned for a Korrasami one-shot that will be posted in the next few days.)_


	6. The Newbie

"Central City Station!" The conductor's voice boomed, catching Korra's attention. "Miss, this is the last stop." He stopped at her booth, checking if she had heard him.

Korra yawned and stretched her arms widely, letting her traveling robe slide down her arms. "Yes, thank you," she replied and the conductor nodded before moving on.

She leaned back in her seat before looking through the window. _So, here I am._

It took her eleven days to get to the capital of United Republic. She didn't mind travelling this much, after all, she'd been doing it for the last four years.

Joining some fishermen on their boat, she had sailed across the Eastern Sea first. The trip had been fun, for which Korra had been grateful since her mind had tended to be occupied by what Lord Zuko had told her. It would have done her no good if she had been dwelling on them. The distraction was welcome. She needed an empty mind when arriving to Republic City. Once there, the wheel would start spinning.

They had arrived to their destination on the sixth morning of their journey. After giving some money to the cheerful company for letting Korra on board, and saying goodbye, she had walked a half of the day before reaching the nearest train station. Luck had been on her side – she had managed to catch the last one to Republic City. It had been a transcontinental train with sleeping cars, suitable for long journeys. Korra had occupied an empty one and it hadn't taken her long to fall asleep at the sound of the wheels hitting the rails.

Five days on the train had been tougher. She'd spent most of the time alone with her thoughts, which she had tried to avoid with meditation. Sometimes she had succeeded, other times she had started thinking about all the possible scenarios that could happen once she had arrived at her destination. They had mostly involved her failing the mission and letting people down.

But now she was here. Stepping off the train, Korra found herself standing on the platform of the Central station. Rivers of people were rushing past her, catching their rides to get home after work.

Not sure in which direction to go, the Avatar decided to go against the flow of passengers, figuring that was where the exit could be. She wasn't wrong and soon Korra was standing outside of the great building, looking at the majestic statue of her friend, Lord Zuko, with a fire ball in his hand.

She briefly smiled to herself before taking a deep breath and tugging at her bag strap. _Let's do this_ , she thought and started walking.

The Avatar knew the first thing she should do was finding a place to stay but her mind was getting distracted by the surroundings. Republic City was nothing like any other cities she had been to before. The city was made different by tall buildings, streets filled with Satomobiles and mostly the people. One thing was the same when compared to other Earth Empire's cities and towns. The Empire's banners were everywhere. It felt odd to see them since Republic City was supposed to be the place where different nations lived together in peace. But then again, it belonged to the Earth nation now, so it did made sense.

Somehow, Korra ended up in a nice park, where she sat down on the grass and pulled a snack out of her bag. Munching on a piece of dried koala sheep meat, she observed her surroundings. She liked the atmosphere – it was calm and quiet, with occasional bursts of laughter filling the air.

A firebending couple playing with a fire disk caught Korra's attention. The game looked fun and an itch growing in her fingers almost got her to stand up and ask them if she could join. The cover she had to maintain stopped her though. She had decided to go as an earthbender since that was the safest appearance she could choose. It would ruin her plans if she came out as a firebender. Even though she hadn't done much planning yet, Korra knew being an earthbender would make things easier.

Out of nowhere, a stone wall erupted from the ground, extinguishing the fire disk that was flying towards the firebending girl.

" _Hey, what was that for?_ " the girl turned around and protested. Korra couldn't see at whom her anger was directed because the trees were obstructing her view.

" _Firebending ain't allowed here!_ " the voice of another girl reached Korra's ears and the meaning of the words got her shooting up on her feet and before she knew it, she was walking towards the conflict.

" _Says who?_ " the other firebender asked, now standing at the girl's side with his arms crossed against his chest.

" _We do. Do you have a problem with that?_ "

" _Yeah, we have a problem with that! As far as I'm concerned, there's no law that says firebending is forbidden._ " The girl sounded furious.

"Ya'll don't know what you're talking about. Right, boys?"

Korra had now reached the group just in time to see two guys, one tall and skinny, the other short and bulky, nodding at the earthbending girl.

"This is _Earth_ Empire, ya'll should get your asses back to where you came from," said one of the guys.

"I was born in Republic City," said the firebender.

"What's going on here?"

They all turned to Korra and she found herself thinking that the situation looked very familiar to the one she had found herself in almost two weeks ago. _Don't blow it this time, Korra._

"Ah, great, just another earth ass," the fire girl mumbled.

Korra shot her an annoyed look but didn't say anything. The earthbenders smirked.

"These two _filthy_ firebenders are contaminating the air with their fire disks," spat the short guy.

"Well, I'm pretty sure there's no law against firebending," said Korra, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, exact–wait, what did you say?" Everyone had a surprised look on their faces and if the situation wasn't serious, Korra would have ended up rolling on the floor, clutching her sides from laughter.

"You heard me. These two have as much rights as you do. They're no different." From the corner of her eye she noticed the couple smiled with relief. It seemed like this wasn't the first time they had been the target of such taunts.

"What are you? Some kind of a firebending lover?" hissed the short earthbender.

"No, it's just unfair to treat them like this only because they bend fire," Korra defended herself. _Things really do suck_ _here_ _if this is what people have to deal with._

"You stupid traitor, this is our land, folks like these two should be sent back to where they came from!" The small group took a step closer to Korra but she wasn't intimidated.

"I'm not a traitor! This is Republic City we're talking about! People from everywhere found their home here!"

"Yeah, because it was stolen from _us_! Thanks to our Leader, we finally got back what is ours," the girl growled, baring her teeth.

"Hey, hey, back off! What do you people think you're doing?"

Korra and the others turned around when a new voice joined them. It was a tall, slim man, about her age, maybe a bit older, wearing a police uniform.

"Good evening, officer! These folks here," the earth girl pointed to Korra and the firebenders, "were disrespecting us."

"What!? We were not disrespecting you," the Avatar jumped in, clenching her fists at her sides. "I was telling them that everyone has a right to be here!"

The policeman quickly stopped her from getting closer by standing between Korra and the earthbender. He put his hand on her shoulder, warning her to not move closer. She shrugged it off, muttering something inaudibly under her breath.

"Yes, officer, these people were harassing us because we're firebenders," added the firebender.

The tall man tensed up for a short moment at his words, which didn't escape Korra's attention.

"Okay, everybody calm down. We're going to resolve this as grownups. I'll ask you to show your IDs then you can all walk away, alright?"

 _What IDs? I don't have any …_ Korra thought and worry seeped into her bones.

Everyone showed their documents at which the officer just nodded and returned them to their owners. Before leaving, the firebenders turned to Korra and thanked her for being a decent and reasonable earthbender.

"Uh, miss? Your ID please?" the officer inquired again.

"I … Don't have one," Korra whispered.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that."

"I don't have one, I didn't know I needed it," she said more loudly this time.

"Oh, well, in that case, I'll have to ask you to come with me to the station."

"Why? It's just a stupid document, no need to stress about it …" She took a step back, shaking her head.

"Look, miss …?"

"Korra."

"Miss Korra, I presume you aren't from around here."

She nodded once.

"Alright. The new government's directive from the Empire's codex dictates that all citizens of the state or visitors should get some sort of personal identifications. If you're a visitor, you should have discussed this with your local government which would have provided you with a document. However, if you're an Empire's citizen, I wonder how come you still haven't got one?"

All this was new to Korra. She had never needed anything like a personal identification before.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I've been travelling a lot. Never needed one, I guess."

"But you are from Earth Empire?"

The Avatar didn't think twice about the answer. "Yes. I just got here from the Eastern Peninsula."

"That explains a lot …" he mumbled.

"Explains what?"

"Many people who come from distant parts of the Empire don't own an ID."

"Why do we even need them?" she asked.

"For an easier identification. Especially when it comes to crime," the officer answered.

"Oh. But I'm not a criminal."

"I'm sorry, you still have to come with me."

Not wanting to cause more trouble on her first day in the city, Korra just huffed and told the officer to lead the way.

He led them to the police car, telling her to sit in the back at which she loudly protested. She wanted to be cooperative but that was too much.

"I just told you I'm not a criminal and you want to cram me into the back of this vehicle?"

He sighed. He wasn't supposed to do that but something in her demeanour told him he wouldn't be able to get her into the back. "Fine. But don't touch anything," he relented and let her sit in the front.

They spent the short ride to the police station in silence. The officer was focused on the road while Korra's gaze took in the surroundings. Then it hit her. She still had no place to stay and it was late. _Brilliant. Just brilliant, Korra._

The car stopped. "Here we are," said the man in the uniform and got out of the car, Korra following him right after. "Er, is everything okay?" he asked after noticing the girl's solemn expression.

"Well, I've been travelling for eleven days to get here. For a welcome, I end up in an argument because of intolerant idiots. Then I get sort of arrested because I don't own a stupid piece of documentation. And I just remembered I don't have a place to stay. So, no, everything is not okay." Her monologue ended up with a pout.

The officer was taken aback by her outburst. "Oh … Um … I'm sorry about … All that … I'm just following the protocol." He scratched the back of his neck, giving her an apologizing smile.

"Yeah, whatever. Let's just get done with this," she muttered.

"Right, er, follow me," he said and started walking towards the entrance of the enormous building.

After going through long halls and passing different offices, they finally stopped in a room where a grey haired woman was sitting behind a desk, her attention focused on the paper before her.

"What is it, officer Mako?" the woman said without glancing at the pair.

Mako cleared his throat. "Chief Beifong, this is Miss Korra. She's new here and–"

 _Wait, Beifong? As in_ the _Beifong?_

"She's without an ID?" the woman interrupted the officer, sounding slightly annoyed. _Yeah, definitely a Beifong,_ Korra smirked.

"What's so funny, kid?" The chief of the police finally raised her gaze and looked right at the girl whose smirk quickly turned into a frown.

"Um, nothing, it's just that you must be Lin Beifong," said Korra.

"So?" The woman looked very irritated now.

"Well, aren't you Toph Beifong's daughter?"

The Chief crossed her arms across her chest. "What of it?"

 _Well, I and your mother are friends. Sort of._

"Nothing. It's just I heard a lot of stories about her, that's all," said Korra, hiding a hint of sadness that washed over her. It would have been so easy to just tell her she was the Avatar. No IDs would have been needed then.

"Anyway, it has diddly-squat to do with the situation you're in." She turned to Mako. "Remind me again, why did you bring her to me?"

"It's late and you're probably the only person with the authority to deal with a situation like this left in the building, chief," replied Mako.

"That I am," she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fine. Korra, you're an Earth Nation citizen?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"How come you don't have an ID? The decree was appointed six months ago. You had plenty of time to get one."

"I've been travelling a lot," Korra replied simply with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Out of the country?"

"Yes." This felt like an interrogation to Korra. Which probably was.

"I see. Where do you live?"

"I haven't found a place to stay yet, but recently my home was on the Eastern Peninsula."

The chief sighed. "Well, that explains a lot then. The government still hasn't managed to settle this thing all around the Empire … Why did you come to Republic City? What is the state of your business here?"

"Well, I came here looking for a job." _Which technically isn't even a lie. It_ is _my job to be the Avatar._

"Did you have anything in particular in mind?"

 _Yes. Stop Kuvira._ "Not really, I'll take whatever I can."

"Can you bend?"

"Yes, I'm an earthbender."

The Chief nodded. "Where did you find her?" she asked Mako as if Korra wasn't standing right in front of her.

"In the park. She was defending a couple of firebenders from a group of earthbenders. The usual …"

The woman raised an eyebrow at that and tilted her head to the side. "Did she now?"

The back of Korra's head suddenly felt cold. _Oh, spirits, I knew I should have stayed away. Damn it, now I'm definitely ending up in prison._

"Yes, Chief," Mako replied.

The Beifong eyed her suspiciously. "You're in luck, kid."

 _Wait, what?_ The surprise must have showed on her face because the older woman chuckled.

"You're lucky the SP didn't catch you playing a hero," she explained. "Things would have gone bad for you, especially since you don't own an ID. They're a bunch of paranoid prickle snakes."

"Who's the SP?" Korra asked.

The Chief rolled her eyes. "Is she serious?"

The girl felt a twinge of anger. "Well, I'm sorry but I'm new here, okay?"

"The SP stands for Special Police," explained Mako.

"But you're the police. Why are there two?"

Shaking her head, the Chief leaned a bit forward and lowered her tone. "Listen, kid, between you and me, the SP is an intelligence agency. What _we_ do is law, what _they_ do is beyond the law. If you want to survive here, keep it down because they're everywhere."

Korra nodded.

"Very well," said the woman and stood up, walking over to one of the document cabinets. After pulling out a form, she returned to her desk and started scribbling something on the piece of paper. For a few minutes, the room was quiet, except for the sound of the pen drifting across the surface. "This is your temporary ID. Don't lose it. You'll have to get a picture of yourself before going to the City Hall where they'll make you a permanent thing. Do it as soon as possible, you'll need it if you want to get a job."

"Yes, thank you, Chief." She took the piece of paper and folded it twice then put it into her bag.

"Yeah, yeah, you're free to go now. Mako," she signalled him to escort her.

"Goodbye," said Korra, at which the older woman just waved her hand.

When reaching the exit, the girl remembered she had no place to stay. She stopped abruptly at the thought.

"Um, miss?"

"I … I'm sorry, I just remembered I don't know where to spend the night. I'm not fond of the idea of sleeping outside in the city," she sighed and sat down on the stairs.

"Well, maybe I can help you," said Mako and started fumbling in his pockets.

Korra turned her head to the officer, watching him with hope in her eyes. "Really?"

"Yeah, just give me a second," he replied and pulled out a small notebook and scribbled something in it before tearing out a page.

"Here, go to this address. It's not far. Stick to the Wan Street and you won't have trouble finding it. I think there's a small apartment still available. The landlady won't be about being disturbed at this hour, she's a bit cranky, but she'll help you out nevertheless."

Korra stood up and he handed her the info. "Thank you so much. How do you know about it?"

"Well, I live nearby," he said and flashed her a small smile.

"This is great. Thank you, really. And I'm sorry … For being an ass earlier," she mumbled and looked at her feet.

"It's fine, I understand. You had a long day."

She smiled at him. "I guess I'm gonna go then. Goodnight, officer Mako, and thanks again."

"No problem. See you around," he greeted and returned to the station.

Mako was right. The place was close and soon Korra found herself standing at the doorstep of the building. She knocked and a few moments later grumbling and muttering reached her. " _These kids, oh, I'm gonna show them, making me getting up at this spirits' forsaken hour. Who is it?"_

"Um, good evening, I'm sorry for disturbing you this late, I hope I didn't wake you up–"

" _Cut the crap, girl. What do you want?"_ the woman interrupted her.

"What is it with women being so stuck up in this city?" Korra muttered to herself.

" _What was that?_ "

"Um, nothing. I was told that you have an apartment for renting? I was wondering if I could–"

The door suddenly opened and a tiny old woman stood in front of her, eyeing her. After a few moments she stepped aside. "Come in."

At least one thing went well for Korra that day.

* * *

 _Thank you all for reading this and another thank you to my beta -_ _kuroescapism dot tumblr dot com!_


	7. Upon This Field Of Tears I Stood

It had been three weeks since Asami and her father, along with Varrick and his ship, had returned to Republic City.

A lot of things had changed since the trip.

After getting on board of the air ship, Asami and her father hadn't exchanged a single word. Hiroshi tried talking to her, but the future CEO always found an excuse to turn around and walk away from him. Silence between the two was new.

Another thing that broke their routine was how much busier they both had become. Of course, they had been busy before, but now Hiroshi worked with Varrick until late into the evening while Asami busied herself with anything she could. Luckily, it wasn't hard to find distractions with her ongoing project and the fact that her new assistant needed a lot of guidance and patience at first was time consuming. She was satisfied with Bolin's work though. After the first few days of introducing him to his assigned duties, he was still struggling with her tempo and understanding the protocol but the breakthrough came. She admired his constant enthusiasm for learning and soon he became a welcome change in her life. Thanks to his exuberance, there were times when she almost forgot what his real purpose there was. But with each passing day she was getting more convinced that he was just an innocent boy, devoted to his leader, but good-hearted.

"Good morning, Bolin," greeted Asami over a cup of tea when the boy entered the kitchen. She allowed him to stay in one of the guest rooms even though she could easily find him an apartment in the city. She figured having him this close came in handy – they could start working as soon as they both woke up, which was usually pretty early in the morning. This time was no different.

"Good morning, boss," replied the corporal, a wide grin spread across his face. "Did you sleep well?" he asked and sat down at the table across the heiress.

"Yes … Not enough though," she sighed and took a sip of the hot beverage. The side effect of working constantly and keeping busy was, how surprising, the lack of sleep. "Do you want some tea?"

"Nah, I'm good," he said and shook his head. He knew better than to pry further about her lack of rest, for which Asami appreciated him even more. "What's on today's schedule?"

"I want to visit the construction site and see the progress. You said things are going smoothly?"

A week ago she appointed him as one of the supervisors responsible for recruiting new workers after noticing that, in contrast with many others nowadays, he didn't discriminate. It was true that building and constructing were mostly in need of earth and metalbenders but there were also suitable jobs for the rest of the people.

"Yup, we've made a lot of progress. There are plenty of workers and they all work hard – the foundations have already been laid," explained Bolin, his voice filled with enthusiasm, "and the work has moved to the next step."

"That sounds excellent," replied Asami, hardly containing the excitement she felt at his words. _At least something is going according to my plans_. "I guess I should see it for myself then." She rose from her chair, setting the empty cup on the table. "Shall we?"

"Yes, boss!"

Fifteen minutes later they were in Asami's car, driving towards the construction site located near downtown. They were chatting happily and Asami gasped and looked at Bolin when he mentioned he used to compete in pro bending matches with his brother.

"No way! You were a Fire Ferret?" she asked, her gaze back on the road.

He beamed with pride at the recognition. "Yeah, me and my brother–"

"Mako! Yes, I remember you! Uh, sorry," she apologized after realizing she interrupted her assistant but he just chuckled.

"Don't worry, it's quite flattering to know that my team was supported by a person such as yourself," he grinned.

"To be honest I was a regular spectator. I've seen almost every single match you've played," Asami said with a small blush. She had never imagined she'd someday meet her favourite team's player.

"Aww, boss, that's really nice of you," replied Bolin, his cheeks coloured with the same shade of red as Asami's.

"How come you stopped competing?" asked Asami.

"Oh, well, do you remember Hasook? The waterbender?"

Asami nodded, her gaze focused on the road.

"He quit and somehow we couldn't find a suitable replacement–"

"Oh, shit," muttered Asami under her breath, once again interrupting him.

"What is it?" asked Bolin and followed Asami's gaze. "Oh … This looks bad."

Asami stopped the car and looked at her assistant with a worried expression. He shrugged and shook his head before looking back at the scene. She stepped out of the vehicle, wanting to get a closer look. "Stay in the car," she ordered but this time, Bolin didn't listen and followed her. Asami didn't really notice because her mind was already somewhere else.

The road was blocked by a crowd of news reporters and terrified people. The air was filled with terror and anguish which made Asami wonder what could have gone so horribly wrong. People were crying, hugging and comforting each other. Their faces were covered with dirt and scratches. Then Asami started noticing injuries and blood which filled her with dread. _What happened here?_

Suddenly, a strong grip on her wrist stopped her from going further. She turned around only to see an old man looking up at her with teary amber eyes. "Where is my daughter? Where have they taken her?" the man cried and Asami's heart broke a bit. "Please, tell me where's my daughter!"

"I'm sorry, sir, I don't know where she is," the heiress replied. "I'm so sorry," she said and tried to pull her arm away but the man wouldn't let go. "P-please, let go of my hand," she pleaded with the clinging man.

Seeing that the man's grip didn't falter, Bolin stepped in, his hand on the old man's wrist. "Let her go," he said in a deep and calm voice and something in the poor man's eyes cleared. He released Asami's hand without apologizing and shrunk into himself, rocking on his feet.

"Thank you," the heiress said, but her voice was distant, just like her eyes as she kept walking towards the rising smoke.

Finally reaching the scene of the crime, Asami barely held back a cry. Part of the road was missing, rocks of different sizes were scattered around the place that had been scorched black by a fire that must have raged there. Most of it had been extinguished by the firefighters who were bending the water at the remaining flames. At least a dozen of police officers and detectives in dark green coats were looking for victims, while the others questioned the survivors. What was the most horrifying thing to Asami though were the white bags, dozens of them lying in a row at the side of the scene. It wasn't difficult to guess what was in them. _Bodies._ Her hand shot to her mouth and a sob left her lips. She turned to Bolin whose face was betraying anger and sadness, two emotions she thought she would never see on him. His eyes were focused on one of the detectives who was now approaching them, eyeing them warily. "Excuse me, miss, sir, you can't be here."

"What happened here?" she asked, ignoring his words.

"We're … Not sure yet. It looks like some serious battle between two opposing gangs went down …" he replied. "Please, if you're not looking for anyone then I would kindly ask you to leave the area." He turned around and walked away, joining his partner but kept his eyes on them.

Asami stood there for a moment, contemplating his words. Something that the detective had said didn't sit right with her. "Do you think he was telling the truth?" she asked quietly.

"Well, yeah, I don't see why he wouldn't," replied Bolin, confusion written all over his face.

Of course he didn't suspect anything. He was loyal to the Empire and despite his importance, the boy was probably deceived just like many others.

The heiress had a bad feeling about this. She was sure there was something more about "the fight". Not daring to voice her doubts she just slumped her shoulders in defeat. "I don't know … It's just that ever since Republic City joined the Empire, there's been no sign of gangs around here and now they were suddenly _two_ …"

"Maybe they've been working underground? You know how these people are," reasoned Bolin, not a single drop of doubt in his voice.

Asami hummed non-committedly in response. She considered him a friend but she couldn't allow herself to reveal her true feelings towards his leader. Sure he looked harmless but the Captain's words, _"Don't trust anyone"_ , had been following her ever since their conversation and she stuck to them.

"Let's go," she said after noticing the detective's angry expression. He jerked his head to the side, giving her a clear order – _leave_.

Tugging at Bolin's sleeve she turned on her heels. True chaos was where the victims and their families and friends were. To pass all the sad, terrified and defeated faces filled Asami with anger and determination. She wanted to do something, she wanted to help them but with no experience in such matters she couldn't do much.

"You monsters!" a woman's yell filled the air, making Asami and Bolin stop in their tracks. "You filthy monsters, how dare you!?" Not far away from where they were standing, a woman was shaking in fury, her fists clenched and her face stained with smoke and dirt but for thin trails where tears had run down her cheeks.

"My brother was innocent!" she yelled at one of the detectives who was now quickly approaching her.

He lifted his hands in defence, talking slowly. "Ma'am, calm down, I know this has been very stress–"

"You fucking bastard! It's all your fault! You think we don't know what you're doing here? Spreading hate on us, taking–aargh–mhph!"

Without realising what she was doing, Asami started towards the woman and the detective as soon as he metalbent a strip of metal, wrapping it around the distressed woman's mouth. But before she could even move from the spot an arm around her waist stopped her. "Don't interfere, Asami," whispered Bolin, holding her tight.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, I'm afraid I'll have to take you into police custody until your stress level goes back to normal," the detective said loudly as a warning to the others before dragging her away to the van.

It took Asami a while to control herself and only then Bolin unwrapped his arms. "C'mon," he said quietly and neither of them spoke until they reached the car. "Are you okay?"

The heiress took a shaky breath, her hands gripping the steering wheel so hard, it looked like the leather gloves she was wearing would burst open. _No, I'm not even close to okay, what I'm feeling is the exact opposite of being okay …_ "Yes, I'm fine," she lied. "How are _you_ feeling?" Asami asked, trying to get his attention somewhere else.

"… Not well," he admitted and she looked at him, noticing a pout on his lips and a single tear running down his cheek. "I thought things were better now that the Empire's at peace, you know …" He sniffed and brushed away the tear. Asami's hand twitched, feeling the need to comfort the boy sitting next to her. Even though she was devastated, it was always easier for her to brush away her feelings and focus her energy into making other people feel better.

Laying her hand gently on the back of his neck, she gave him an encouraging smile. "I'll find a way to help those people, okay?" Asami meant it. Even though she couldn't offer any help at the time, she knew there was something she could do.

He returned the smile and nodded. "Do you still wanna go to the construction site?"

"Of course," she replied and turned on the engine.

 **-insert the line break-**

The news of "the fight" had been spreading around quicker than a spider wasp's offspring from an egg sack. It was topic number one of every conversation.

Asami and Bolin both let out sad sighs when some of the supervisors started talking about the incident. Even though they had been trying to cheer each other up every chance they could, the heavy cloud of sadness and angst followed them everywhere. Not even the project, that usually brought the spark back into Asami's eyes, could lift her spirits. They were not the only ones feeling down though. The atmosphere at the site mirrored their emotions and the worker's enthusiasm Bolin talked about was not present. They were wearing dull expressions, some of them had puffy eyes – many lost someone they knew that morning. The sound of hammers hitting the nails and concrete mixers playing their monotone song was odd without the company of laughter and conversations.

"Let's take a walk around the place," said Asami to her assistant after going through the blueprints once again with the construction manager to make sure everything was in order.

Bolin agreed and together they took off for a trip around Asami's dream growing bigger and realer. It felt good to stand on the concrete foundations on which a new school would rise. The workers greeted them and sometimes the pair stopped by and exchanged a few words with them, offering condolences to those who had been affected by the events that happened earlier.

"You know, it's really kind of you to go out there and talk to, um, common people," said Bolin quietly as they stood where the entrance of the building would be.

Asami blinked, not sure what to make of his words.

Sensing her confusion, he continued. "I haven't seen many people of, well, your status doing what you did today. Most of them just pretend nothing happens and turn their backs on the ugliness of the real world," he shrugged his shoulders, "Not you though, I could tell you were genuinely hurt …"

"Oh." It was all she could say.

"I admire that you put yourself out there and talk to people. It's a really good thing, I think," he said with another shrug.

"I … I really don't know what to say," replied Asami with a nervous laugh, but deep inside her chest, a warm feeling settled in. "Thank you, Bolin."

"No need for thanks, just keep doing that, will ya?"

She nodded and smiled at him. "Yes, sir!"

For a few moments they just stood there in silence until the sound of someone grumbling broke the quiet between them.

"Excuse me?"

The pair turned around and found themselves looking at a tanned girl who was trying to hide her anger, at spirits knew what, and failing at it. Her lips kept drifting into a pout and her eyebrows were stubbornly knitted together.

"Oh, hello … Korra, right?" greeted Bolin.

"Yeah, it's Korra. I just wanted to apologize for being late … It's the – the road was blocked," the girl said, everyone knowing too well why that was. She adjusted the bag strap on her shoulder. That's when Asami noticed her knuckle skin was torn and bruised.

"What happened to your hands?" she blurted, obviously a mistake since the girl pulled her hands away and hid them behind her back, something similar to pain flashing across her face.

"An accident," Korra replied quickly and shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"Are you okay?" asked Bolin.

"Yep, I'm ready to work."

"Okay. But before you leave … Asami, this is Korra, a very talented young earth and shovel bender," Korra gave her an awkward wave with her hand, trying to smile. "Korra, this is Asami Sato, the person you work for."

The girl tensed up. "You mean, like my _boss,_ boss?"

"Uh-huh, she's _the_ boss," replied Bolin.

Korra muttered something under her breath, hitting her forehead with the heel of her hand which earned her a chuckle from the heiress.

"It's an honour to meet you, ma'am," she said with a bow with her head after composing herself.

Asami returned the gesture. "You should take care of your hands. Those wounds seem quite nasty."

"Yeah, I will, thank you. So, I guess I'll go to back to my shovel-bending now."

"Sure, see you later, Korra. Don't forget to clock in," said Bolin with a grin.

"I won't!"

Asami smiled too. "Take care."

"Yes, ma'am, you too."

With that, she was off and the pair stood there looking at her retreating form. Glancing at Bolin, the heiress noticed his eyes never left the girl's muscular back. She gave him a knowing smile and when he caught her looking at him his eyes widened in horror.

"What?"

"I didn't say anything …" she replied, the smirk never leaving her lips. She couldn't help herself though. "You like her, don't you?"

"Yes–I mean n–no, well, maybe …" his voice trailed off and his cheeks flushed a bit.

"She seems nice," said Asami, bumping his shoulder lightly. _Awkwardly nice._

* * *

 _There we go. Korra and Asami finally meet. x)_

 _Thank you to my beta -_ _kuroescapism dot tumblr dot com for proofreading this in record time!_

 _And a special note - I'm going to the army camp on Monday so there will be no updates for at least two weeks. I'll get back to writing as soon as I return (alive)._

 _(The title of this chapter is also the title of an incredible music piece by Rob Oxenbridge I had on replay while writing this.)_


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